Former United South pitcher Ramirez acquired by Cardinals

Former United South pitcher Roel Ramirez was acquired in a four-player trade Tuesday by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Former United South pitcher Roel Ramirez was acquired in a four-player trade Tuesday by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Photo: Laredo Morning Times Staff File

Photo: Laredo Morning Times Staff File

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Former United South pitcher Roel Ramirez was acquired in a four-player trade Tuesday by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Former United South pitcher Roel Ramirez was acquired in a four-player trade Tuesday by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Photo: Laredo Morning Times Staff File

Former United South pitcher Ramirez acquired by Cardinals

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Former United South pitcher Roel Ramirez was acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals at the Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline Tuesday in a four-player trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Ramirez, 23, was selected in the eighth round of the 2013 MLB Draft with the 248th overall pick after recording a 2.74 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in his senior season with 85 strikeouts and 18 walks in 61.1 innings his senior season. He also hit .449 with 23 RBIs and 18 runs.

Climbing up the system since being drafted, Ramirez has spent most of this season as a reliever while splitting time between Double-A Montgomery and High-A Charlotte. He has a 2.53 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 53.1 combined innings between the team and is averaging 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings. Throughout six minor league seasons, Ramirez is 26-21 with 45 starts in 124 appearances and has a 3.85 ERA over 376.1 innings of work.

The Cardinals also acquired outfielder Justin Williams and left-handed pitcher Genesis Cabrera in the deal. They traded outfielder Tommy Pham and international slot money to the Rays.

Williams, 22, made one appearance with the Rays and has spent the rest of the year with Triple-A Durham. He is hitting .258 with 46 RBIs. Cabrera made 20 starts in 21 appearances for Double-A Montgomery going 7-6 with a 4.12 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 113.2 innings. Pham has five seasons in the majors hitting .271 with 149 RBIs and 51 home runs in 1,109 at-bats.

Ramirez is expected to report to remain at the Double-A level and report to the Springfield Cardinals who compete in the Texas League. He will get to be close to home next week as the Cardinals open a three-game at the San Antonio Missions Aug. 7. They continue in state Aug. 10 at the Corpus Christi Hooks.